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The safe way to leave GoDaddy is to move the WordPress files and database first, test the new installation, then change DNS. Keep your domain registration, hosting, DNS, and email decisions separate. A complete migration includes WordPress core files, wp-content, wp-config.php, custom files, and a SQL export of the database. Do not cancel the old hosting until the replacement site, HTTPS, forms, email records, and DNS are working.
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Understand what you are moving
A WordPress site is not just the visible files. The database contains posts, pages, settings, users, menus, widget configuration, and much of the data created by plugins. The files contain WordPress core, themes, plugins, uploaded media, and custom code. Copying only wp-content leaves the installation incomplete.
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There are three separate decisions:
| Decision | What changes | What can stay at GoDaddy |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting migration | The server that stores and runs WordPress | Your domain registration and DNS |
| DNS migration | The nameservers or DNS records that direct visitors and mail | The registrar, if you prefer |
| Registrar transfer | The company that registers and renews the domain | The website host and DNS provider |
You can move hosting while continuing to register the domain at GoDaddy. You can also delegate DNS to another provider without transferring the registration. A registrar transfer is optional and should not be bundled into the website cutover unless you have a specific reason to change registrars.
Choose a migration method
Use a manual migration when you have FTP or SFTP access and phpMyAdmin access, or when you need to understand and control every part of the move. An automated migration can be faster when the destination is a supported managed WordPress product, but availability depends on the destination product and the current account interface.
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| Approach | What you do | Best fit | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual | Download files, export SQL, create a destination database, upload files, import SQL, and edit wp-config.php |
Any host that provides the required file and database access | You are responsible for the transfer, URL updates, testing, and rollback plan |
| Automated | Use a migration workflow offered by the destination managed WordPress service | A supported destination where you want the provider to handle more of the copy | Support, limits, and exact steps vary by destination product and account interface |
Regardless of method, make your own downloadable backup first. A provider-assisted migration is not a substitute for a copy you control.
Inventory the site before making changes
Record what exists on the GoDaddy account before you touch DNS or delete anything. This inventory is your acceptance test after the move.
- Every domain, subdomain, parked domain, and domain alias used by the site.
- DNS records, including A and AAAA records, CNAME records, MX records for mail, TXT verification and authentication records, and any other records used by services.
- Mailboxes, forwarding addresses, and the provider responsible for each MX record.
- Current WordPress and PHP versions, the database name, permalink structure, and non-default settings in
wp-config.php. - Active and inactive plugins, themes, custom theme files, child themes, and code added outside the normal WordPress directories.
- Forms, SMTP or transactional-mail connections, analytics, advertising tags, payment services, CDN settings, webhooks, and other external integrations.
- Scheduled jobs, backup jobs, SSL certificates, redirects, caching rules, and security settings.
Take screenshots or save a text copy of settings that are difficult to reconstruct. Keep the inventory with the backup so another administrator can follow the same plan.
Create a complete, verified backup
WordPress treats a backup as two parts: the files and the database. Make both before changing the old site.
Back up the files
Download the complete WordPress directory through FTP or the file manager. Include WordPress core files, the entire wp-content directory, wp-config.php, and custom files outside the standard directories. Do not assume that a host-level snapshot includes everything you will need on another provider.
Download the archive to your computer instead of leaving the only copy in cloud storage. Keep a second copy on separate storage, such as an external USB drive or SSD. Label the copies with the date and the domain so an older backup cannot be mistaken for the final one.
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Export the database
- Open phpMyAdmin for the database used by the WordPress installation.
- Select the correct database, not an unrelated database on the same account.
- Choose the export function and produce an SQL file.
- Download the SQL file and store it with the file backup.
- Check that the export completed and that the downloaded file has a plausible size before proceeding.
The database name and table prefix are useful records for the destination configuration. If the export is compressed, retain the compressed file and, where practical, an extracted copy so you can inspect what you received.
Prepare the destination host
Create the replacement WordPress environment before changing the public DNS. Set up the destination hosting account, a MySQL-compatible database, and a database user with its password. Record the database name, user name, password, and database host exactly as the destination supplies them.
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
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Match the old environment where possible. Record the current WordPress and PHP versions before the move, then choose destination versions compatible with the site and its plugins. A version change at the same time as a host change makes failures harder to isolate.
Install an empty WordPress site or create the document root and database ready for the manual copy. Obtain HTTPS at the destination before public cutover if the site currently uses HTTPS. If the host offers a temporary URL or staging address, use it for private testing; do not point the domain at an untested installation.
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Manual migration: files and database
1. Download the old site
Use FTP or the host file manager to download all WordPress files identified in the backup section. Preserve the directory structure. In particular, retain wp-content/uploads, plugin directories, themes, and any custom files referenced by the installation.
2. Export the old SQL database
Use the phpMyAdmin export created above. Keep the original file untouched; make a working copy if you need to edit or compress anything.
3. Create the destination database and user
Create a new database and a user permitted to access it. Save the exact database host as well as the database name, user name, and password. Some hosts use localhost; others provide a separate database hostname. Use the value supplied by the destination rather than assuming they are the same.
4. Upload the files
Upload the complete WordPress file set into the destination document root. If the destination created a fresh WordPress installation, replace or merge its files with the backed-up files only after confirming that the domain points to the intended directory. Do not leave the old site’s files in a different directory that the web server might serve accidentally.
5. Import the SQL file
Open the destination phpMyAdmin, select the new database, and import the SQL file. Wait for the import to finish and note any error message. An incomplete import must be fixed before testing WordPress; otherwise missing tables can look like plugin or theme failures.
6. Edit wp-config.php
Update the database constants so they match the destination:
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define('DB_NAME', 'new_wp_database');
define('DB_USER', 'new_wp_user');
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'use-the-destination-password');
define('DB_HOST', 'destination-database-host');Keep the existing table prefix and other custom settings unless the destination requires a documented change. The file must point to the imported database, not to a database that is still empty. If the destination uses a different PHP version or server configuration, record each deliberate configuration change so it can be reversed.
Handle the domain and URL correctly
When the domain and protocol stay the same
If visitors will use the same domain and the same HTTP or HTTPS scheme, copying the files and database is usually sufficient. The database still needs to be connected through the new wp-config.php, and the destination must be tested before DNS changes.
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If the domain changes, the site moves from HTTP to HTTPS, or WordPress moves into a different path, update the WordPress home and siteurl values. Absolute URLs can also appear in post content, media references, redirects, theme templates, plugin settings, canonical tags, and serialized option data.
Use a serialization-safe search-and-replace process for database URLs. A plain text replacement can damage serialized values because their recorded lengths no longer match. After the replacement, inspect representative posts, pages, menus, widgets, media, and plugin settings rather than assuming every reference changed correctly.
Recheck permalink and rewrite settings. Save the permalink configuration after the new site is available, then test both a normal page and a post with the site’s usual URL structure. Review redirects and canonical URLs so the old address does not create loops or leave search engines pointed at the wrong host.
Test before changing DNS
Use the destination’s temporary URL, staging address, or another private testing method. Keep the GoDaddy site available while you test. The goal is to prove that the new installation works independently of the public DNS.
- Log in to the WordPress dashboard and confirm that users, roles, menus, and settings are present.
- Open the home page, representative pages, several posts, category and archive pages, and a page with embedded media.
- Check images, downloadable files, galleries, and other items in
wp-content/uploads. - Submit every important form and verify where the submission is delivered.
- Exercise plugins and the active theme, especially ecommerce, membership, caching, security, backup, and SEO functions.
- Test permalinks, redirects, canonical URLs, and 404 behavior.
- Open the site over HTTPS and check for certificate errors or HTTP assets that should be HTTPS.
- Confirm scheduled jobs, analytics, CDN connections, webhooks, and external integrations.
- Review the destination DNS plan, including the records required for email and domain verification.
Do not treat a successful home page as a successful migration. A missing form notification or an absent MX record can be more damaging than a visible page error.
Cut over DNS with a rollback plan
Prepare the records
Export or record the complete DNS zone before changing nameservers or individual records. Include A and AAAA records, CNAME records, MX records, TXT records, and verification records. If you use a separate DNS provider, delegate authority by changing nameservers only after the new provider contains the complete zone. Cloudflare and Route 53 are examples of DNS providers GoDaddy documents for this purpose, but the same principle applies to any provider.
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Lower DNS TTL values ahead of the cutover when practical. TTL changes do not instantly remove cached answers, so continue to serve the old site while resolvers transition.
Switch the website records
Change the A or AAAA record, or the relevant CNAME, to the destination. If you are changing nameservers, verify that the new zone contains the website records and all mail records before delegation. Make only the records required for the migration; changing unrelated records at the same time makes diagnosis harder.
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During propagation, some visitors may still reach GoDaddy while others reach the new host. Keep both sites available and watch traffic, error logs, forms, HTTPS, and mail delivery. Do not edit content independently on both copies after the cutover unless you have a plan to reconcile the changes. Continue monitoring until the expected DNS answers are visible from multiple networks and the site’s important workflows succeed.
Only after the destination is stable, DNS has propagated, and email is confirmed should you cancel the old hosting. Retaining it for a short overlap gives you a practical rollback: restore the previous DNS record if a serious problem appears, then correct the destination before trying again.
Keep email and other services working
Moving web hosting does not automatically move email. Mail delivery follows MX records, and authentication or verification can depend on TXT records. Preserve the existing MX, TXT, and service-specific CNAME records unless you are intentionally moving those services too.
Check mailbox access, inbound delivery, outbound delivery, forwarding, and contact-form notifications after the DNS change. If the WordPress site sends mail through an external SMTP or transactional service, verify its domain, credentials, DNS authentication records, and allowed sender addresses on the new host.
Review SSL certificates, CDN origins, analytics properties, payment callbacks, API allowlists, and scheduled integrations. A new server address can require an update even when the public domain remains unchanged.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Transfer the domain registration only if you want to
A domain transfer is a registrar operation, not a requirement for moving WordPress hosting. If you keep the domain at GoDaddy, confirm that the registrar’s DNS settings point to the DNS provider you actually intend to use and that renewal information is current.
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To transfer the registration to another registrar:
- Confirm that the domain is eligible for transfer and that the registrant email address is accessible.
- Disable the registrar lock and review Domain Privacy and Domain Protection settings as required by the transfer workflow.
- Request the domain’s Auth-Code, also called an EPP code. GoDaddy sends the code to the registrant email address in its documented process.
- Start the transfer at the gaining registrar and enter the exact domain and Auth-Code.
- Approve any confirmation message and monitor the transfer status at both registrars.
- After completion, verify nameservers, DNS records, renewal settings, contact details, and transfer-lock controls at the new registrar.
GoDaddy says transfers typically take 5–7 days. A 60-day restriction can apply after a new registration, a previous transfer, or certain registrant-contact changes, so an otherwise correct request may have to wait. ICANN’s Auth-Code guidance says that when a registrant cannot generate the code directly, the registrar must provide it within five calendar days of the request.
Registry lock prevents an outbound transfer but does not stop DNS resolution, email delivery, SSL certificates, or hosted services. If a registry lock is enabled, handle it separately from the website cutover. Re-enable the domain-protection control after the transfer completes if the new registrar supports it.
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“Error establishing a database connection”
Recheck every database value in wp-config.php: database name, user, password, and host. Confirm that the user has access to the destination database and that the SQL import was completed into that same database. Do not change WordPress files repeatedly until the credentials and database selection are verified.
Pages return 404 errors
Confirm that the destination is serving the intended document root. Review the permalink structure and rewrite configuration, then save the permalink settings and test several URL patterns. Check that the domain is reaching the new host rather than an old DNS answer.
Images or links still use the old address
Search for absolute old-domain or HTTP references in content, theme files, plugin settings, redirects, and canonical URLs. Run a serialization-safe replacement for database values, then inspect media and representative pages manually.
HTTPS warnings or redirect loops
Verify that the destination certificate covers the domain and that the site, WordPress settings, and redirects agree on HTTP versus HTTPS. Mixed-content warnings often identify a remaining HTTP asset; a redirect loop usually indicates conflicting proxy, server, or WordPress URL settings.
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Check the form’s recipient and sending configuration, then verify MX and TXT records. Test both a form submission and direct mailbox delivery. If only WordPress-generated mail fails, inspect the external SMTP or transactional service rather than changing web DNS again.
The domain transfer is rejected
Check the lock status, contact-change or registration date, transfer eligibility, Auth-Code, and registrant email. A 60-day restriction can be a waiting period rather than a technical error. Keep hosting and DNS running while the registration issue is resolved.
Quick Recap
Final migration checklist
- Domains, DNS, email, SSL, plugins, themes, forms, analytics, CDN, cron jobs, and integrations are inventoried.
- A complete files backup and SQL database export are downloaded locally, with a second copy on separate storage.
- The destination database, user, host, WordPress files, and
wp-config.phpare configured. - URL changes, serialized data, redirects, canonical URLs, and permalinks are handled where necessary.
- The destination passes dashboard, content, media, forms, plugin, theme, HTTPS, and integration tests.
- DNS records are preserved, TTL is lowered when practical, and the required website records are switched.
- Email delivery and verification records work during propagation.
- The GoDaddy site remains available until the new site and DNS are confirmed.
- If transferring the registration, the domain is unlocked, eligible, and supplied with a valid Auth-Code.
- The new registrar’s DNS, renewal, contact, and locking settings are verified after transfer.
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